Tents



June 25, 1957 N. s. BERSETH 2,796,877

TCENTS.

Filed Oct. 7, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.5

Norman 5. Bersefh l7 INVENTOR.

June 25, 1957 s. BERSETH 2,796,877

TENTS Filed Oct. 7, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Norman 5. Bersefh IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent My invention relates to improvements in portabletents for camping, play, or dressing shelters at beaches and the like.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a tent which is easilyand quickly erected and taken down for porting purposes.

Another object is to provide means for erecting a tent with a coveringof different shapes in cross section.

Still another object is to provide means for stretching tent coveringsinto different cross sectional shapes and securely holding the same inshape.

Still another object is to provide for attaining the above objects intents which are simple in construction, readily foldable for portingpurposes and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of my improvedtent erected;

Figure 2 is a view in front elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical section taken onthe line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view in perspective of a modification of myinvention;

Figure 5 is an enlarged view in perspective of a second modification ofthe invention; and

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic composite view of other modifications of theinvention.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, according to the preferredembodiment of my invention illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, a tentcovering 3 is provided of semifiexible but foldable material pre-shapedto assume a generally conical form in cross-section and having a flatcentral top portion 5 and a lower edge 7.

A supporting frame, designated generally by the numeral 9, is providedfor the covering 3. The frame 9 is of tripod form with poles, or legs,11 converging upwardly to a crown portion 13 in the form of a horizontaldisk with bottom sockets 15 thereon in which the upper ends of the poles11 are detachably fitted. The poles 11 comprise telescopicallyadjustable sections 17, 19, 21 and set screws 23 for holding saidsections in adjusted position and whereby said frame 9 is verticallyadjustable as to height.

The covering 3 is detachably suspended by its flat top portion 5 in theframe 9 from the crown portion 13 by means of a pair of superposed disks25, 27 secured together and to said top portion 5 at opposite sides ofsaid portion by rivets 29, a pair of axial nut equipped hooks 31, 33 insaid disks 25, 27 and the crown portion 13 and a tension coil spring 35connecting said hooks.

Upper and lower circumferentially spaced series of suitable tie straps37, 39 on the side of the covering 3 2,796,877 iiB-atented June 1:25,?195'7 provide for detachably iattaching said covering to the poles 11.

Circumferentiallyrspaced anchoringstraps 41are1suitablytattaohei assat+43;1to .theloweredge -7 of the covering.i3 :fo'r :attachment by pegs-45to". the 5 ground.

-A-zfly forming slit-' ,47 is;.-formed=;=in what constitutes the front:side of .themcovering. 3 with a -Islideu=fastener---49 at op'positersidesvthereoffifor -.closing-.-the 1' same. -.-The slide :51 :of thezslide-i-fastener =49z iswattachable by a pad lo ck a52;-when;thei:slit-47 is;closed;ito:a:tab%53 on arei nforcing tcrossstrapQSSmecuredeby istitches 57 to E'the covering l 3 at thez-rlowerendt-of thewslit" 49.

eAniaupwafdly rextendingsaxialesocket :59 on -the crown portion 13provides means for mounting a flagstaff 61 on said crown portion.

Preferably the poles 11 are provided with sharp pointed lower ends 63positioned in the ground to anchor the frame 9 in upright position.

In erecting the described tent, the frame 9 is first set up and anchoredin the ground as described. The covering 3 is then introduced in theframe 9 and attached by the hooks 31, 33 and spring 35 to the crownportion 13. The anchoring straps 41 are then attached to the pegs 45which are driven into the ground in a circle and whereby the lower edgeof the covering is held in substantially circular arrangement. The tiestraps 37, 39 are then attached to the poles 11 which it will beunderstood are arranged opposite said tie straps. The frame 9 is thenadjusted vertically by telescopically adjusting the poles 11 until theframe is high enough to stretch the spring 35 and thereby stretch thecovering upwardly until it is taut.

In taking the tent down the tie straps 37, 39 are released from thepoles 11, the anchor straps 41 released from the pegs 45 and the spring35 released from the hook 31 in the disks 25, 27. The poles 11 may thenbe pulled out of the ground and out of the sockets 15 and telescopicallyadjusted to shorten the same. The covering 3 may then be folded orrolled up and arranged with the poles 11, the crown portion 13, spring35 and pegs 45 into a compact bundle for porting or storage.

In the modification according to Figure 4 the covering 65 is also ofsemi-flexible material pre-formed and creased into hexagonal,cross-section with a pyramid top 67. The frame 69 comprises poles 71 oftelescopic sections 73, 74, 75 like the frame 9 with the followingexceptions. The covering 65 converges upwardly to the top 67. The poles71 are arranged parallel and opposite the creases 77 of the covering 65to said top and converge over said top 67 at a greater angle to thecrown portion 79. The upper and lower series of tie straps 81, 82 aresecured to said covering at the creases 77 for attachment to said poles71 and the anchor straps 83 are secured to the lower edge 85 of thecovering at said creases 77 for attachment to the pegs. Otherwisearrangement is the same as in the preferred embodiment except the poles71 have an extra section 76.

As shown diagrammatically in the modifications illustrated in Figure 6,in plan, coverings 87, 89, 91, 93, creased to assume octagonal,pentagonal, rectangular, triangular, and trapezoidal shape may beprovided in pole frames 97, 99, 101, 103, in which the poles arearranged in formation corresponding to such shapes opposite the creasesfor attachment of the coverings thereto and to the ground for instanceas by the means shown in Figure 4.

In the modification shown in Figure 5, a socket plate 107 is providedfor the lower ends of the poles 11', or 71, for example, and which maybe used to support the poles instead of driving the poles into theground.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, itis not desired to limit theinvention to the exact construction and operation shown and described,and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may beresorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows: v A tent comprising anupwardlytapering semi-flexible covering having a flat central topportion and a lower edge, a frame comprising a crown portion and aplurality of upward converging poles having upper ends fixed in saidcrown portion and lower ends adapted to be driven into the ground, meanssuspending said covering by its top portion from said crown portionwithin said frame,

means anchoring the edge of the covering to the ground,

and ties spaced vertically in rows on said covering detachablyconnecting said covering to said poles, said covering being preformedand creased into'polygonal crosssection and having a pyramidal topterminating in said flat top portion, said poles being arranged at saidcreases and converging upwardly at one angle to said top and convergingat another greater angle over said top to said flat crown portion inspaced relation to said top.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS979,037 Searle Dec. 20, 1910 1,964,818 Hood July 3, 1934 2,543,684Blanchard Feb. 27, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 132,098 Australia Dec. 4, 1947

